Fords (shallow rivers and streams that cars drive through)

AY1975 · 2026-08-31T12:54:35+0100

Does anyone here have any experience of driving through a ford or live near one? I think they've already been mentioned in passing in various threads but I'm not sure if there's been a dedicated thread on them as such.

I remember as a child being taken for a drive through a ford near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and having a picnic in a nearby field afterwards where we watched the cars go through it. I don't know if that particular ford is still there, as it may have been where Carsington Water reservoir is now.

I also noticed a ford in Brockenhurst, Hants.

RailUK Forums

pint · 2026-08-31T13:26:22+0100

Tissington ford, near (ish) to bakewell

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Cowley · 2026-08-31T13:35:43+0100

AY1975 said:
Does anyone here have any experience of driving through a ford or live near one? I think they've already been mentioned in passing in various threads but I'm not sure if there's been a dedicated thread on them as such.

I remember as a child being taken for a drive through a ford near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and having a picnic in a nearby field afterwards where we watched the cars go through it. I don't know if that particular ford is still there, as it may have been where Carsington Water reservoir is now.

I also noticed a ford in Brockenhurst, Hants.

There’s a few near me that I use from time to time. Probably the longest normal ford in the area is the one on Mill Street in Sidmouth though.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zp5otdCm2DLPW3BV6?g_st=ic

Snow1964 · 2026-08-31T13:49:36+0100

There is a very long one at Laycock, Wiltshire

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Haywain · 2026-08-31T14:00:02+0100

There's a delightful ford at Leatheringsett, near Holt, in Norfolk:

Street View · Google Maps

Explore a place in a more immersive way in Google Maps.

www.google.com

Polarbear · 2026-08-31T14:22:14+0100

I’ve been through several, though I’m limited with only having a standard clearance car & two wheel drive!

For those with an interest, there’s a website dedicated to this topic, providing details of all the Fords in the UK.

www.wetroads.co.uk

An online guide to every ford and watersplash in the UK.

www.wetroads.co.uk

thejuggler · 2026-08-31T14:50:15+0100

One from the website above is Wheeldale which I have experienced a lot as its on a back route between Pickering and Whitby which is quieter and more interesting than the main route.

It is one of many on the North Yorkshire moors.

bramling · 2026-08-31T15:16:00+0100

AY1975 said:
Does anyone here have any experience of driving through a ford or live near one? I think they've already been mentioned in passing in various threads but I'm not sure if there's been a dedicated thread on them as such.

I remember as a child being taken for a drive through a ford near Wirksworth, Derbyshire, and having a picnic in a nearby field afterwards where we watched the cars go through it. I don't know if that particular ford is still there, as it may have been where Carsington Water reservoir is now.

I also noticed a ford in Brockenhurst, Hants.

There’s a rather notorious one at Walcot Lane, just round the corner from Pershore station. Constantly seems to be having incidents, including a fatal one some years ago. Unfortunately the lane it’s on offers something of a shortcut, so people seem to chance it.

ls2270 · 2026-08-31T16:33:39+0100

There is one at Eynsford in Kent.

Trainguy34 · 2026-08-31T16:36:56+0100

I'm presuming there's one in Ford, near Barnham (West Sussex). If not I've been through one in the ironically named Bridge, near Canterbury.

E27007 · 2026-08-31T17:12:16+0100

A ford in the village of Shilton near Burford in the Cotswolds.
I do not recommend driving through a ford, they should be avoided, a neighbour drove into a flood, his Mercedes ingested water into the cylinders, the connecting rods bent, a major bill to replace the engine, £12,000 for engine ex luring labour fees

Engineer · 2026-08-31T17:23:52+0100

Lunch time Fridays in the mid 70's we often took a short cut through Redlake Lane Wokingham, on the way from ICL Bracknell to the Crooked Billet pub. The Emmbrook Ford is still there. Once in a Ford RS1800 rally car road testing, I drove took fast and aquaplaned on the sump guard, slight flow took me sideways; hit part of bank and drove out on two wheels for a few feet! ..

swt_passenger · 2026-08-31T19:24:17+0100

Trainguy34 said:
I'm presuming there's one in Ford, near Barnham (West Sussex). If not I've been through one in the ironically named Bridge, near Canterbury.

Not present in modern times, but Google suggests the place was named for a crossing of the tidal River Arun. But there’s nothing shown on OS maps going back well over 100 years.

JohnofWessex · 2026-08-31T19:59:32+0100

Rufford Ford

Rufford Ford: Safety or Convenience?

Now rightly closed

AlastairFraser · 2026-08-31T20:13:04+0100

Engineer said:
Lunch time Fridays in the mid 70's we often took a short cut through Redlake Lane Wokingham, on the way from ICL Bracknell to the Crooked Billet pub. The Emmbrook Ford is still there. Once in a Ford RS1800 rally car road testing, I drove took fast and aquaplaned on the sump guard, slight flow took me sideways; hit part of bank and drove out on two wheels for a few feet! ..

There's quite a few in that area. I think the one between Sandford (east end of Woodley) and Hurst is in Whistley Green, and there's a few more dotted around the Loddon valley I believe.

ChiefPlanner · 2026-08-31T20:31:51+0100

Yes - the Amman Valley in south Wales (fed from the Black Mountain) , and also the water power mill at Redbournebury near St Albans !

MicroLithium · 2026-08-31T20:36:58+0100

I had a short walk in Weardale this afternoon and passed two just off the A689, near Westgate and St John’s Chapel

steamybrian · 2026-08-31T20:59:03+0100

Complete lising of all "fords" -

https://www.wetroads.co.uk/

Cowley · 2026-08-31T21:08:39+0100

One of my favourite stretches of soggy tarmac is the tidal road at Avaton Gifford in the South Hams.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ei7L6pRTwtxjBfdL7?g_st=ic

You really don’t want to take a chance with that road if the tides coming in!

High Dyke · 2026-08-31T21:32:01+0100

thejuggler said:
One from the website above is Wheeldale which I have experienced a lot as its on a back route between Pickering and Whitby which is quieter and more interesting than the main route.

It is one of many on the North Yorkshire moors.

I haven't been through the Wheeldale one for many years.

I used to take school bus through the ford in Kirkby Green, between Lincoln and Sleaford. We have a few around where I live though they are on minor roads.

Bald Rick · 2026-08-31T22:09:21+0100

JohnofWessex said:
Rufford Ford

Rufford Ford: Safety or Convenience?

Now rightly closed

Annoyingly closed, that was our route to Center Parcs at Sherwood, and always excited the kids* as we went through, as it was a bit of peril, but when we were through it meant we were almost there. Shame it has closed because of some idiots.

*Ok, me, not the kids.

ChiefPlanner said:
Yes - the Amman Valley in south Wales (fed from the Black Mountain) , and also the water power mill at Redbournebury near St Albans !

Also across the Lea near Brocket Hall (Waterend Lane) and the Mimram south of Codicote (St Albans Road). Both are part-time, and are only fords when ground water in the aquifer is above a certain level or after a day or so of heavy rain. Both are dry currently.

JohnMcL7 · 2026-09-01T01:25:11+0100

JohnofWessex said:
Rufford Ford

Rufford Ford: Safety or Convenience?

Now rightly closed

That was the one that came to mind when I read this topic. While it was open it was certainly a surprising demonstration on how many people didn't understand they needed to be cautious when taking cars through water.

Egg Centric · 2026-09-01T01:52:19+0100

I have a recollection, as a student, going for the sake of it to a ford that was described as the longest in the UK, this would be about 2005-2006ish. I cannot for the life of me find it now. All I recollect is you went from Cambridge via Watford Gap to the M45 and then... somewhere?!

From OpenAI it seems it *may* have been Little Packington Ford which is now permanently shut. However I don't think I trust OpenAI here because when I look at the photos of this it doesn't seem like the ford I remember; I remember the ford being out in the middle of nowhere, not having a village nearby.

Wherever it was it was clear when doing it that it was a very silly thing to be driving along. You essentially drove along the river for a couple of hundred yards. In my mate's Audi A2 that was less than wise but we got away with it.

Fords (shallow rivers and streams that cars drive through)

Established Member

RailUK Forums

Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

Attachments

Veteran Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Member

Veteran Member

Member

Established Member

Established Member

Member

Established Member

Forum Staff

Established Member

Veteran Member

Member

Established Member